After 15 days of striking, SAS and the SAS Scandinavia pilots’ unions have concluded mediation. The parties have agreed on new 5.5-year collective bargaining agreements and flights operated by SAS Scandinavia will resume according to its regular traffic programme as soon as possible.
The 5.5-year agreements between SAS and the SAS Scandinavia pilots’ unions are a key element of SAS’ comprehensive business transformation plan SAS FORWARD, as they provide the stability and predictability required by potential investors.
The agreements include cost savings in line with the set targets in the SAS FORWARD plan relating to the pilots’ terms and conditions, taking SAS one important step closer to achieving its SAS FORWARD target of SEK 7.5 billion in annual cost savings.
In short, the agreements imply increased productivity for the SAS Scandinavia pilots and increased flexibility in seasonal production. The terms and conditions of the agreements also yield a lowered unit cost for the SAS Scandinavia pilots.
Additionally, as part of the agreement between SAS and SAS Scandinavia pilots’ unions, a number of pending litigations previously initiated by the pilots’ unions and/or individual pilots against SAS will be withdrawn. In accordance with a restructuring support agreement to be entered into between the parties in the chapter 11 process, SAS has granted the unions a general unsecured pre-petition claim for the pilots in the amount of SEK 1.0 bn in SAS voluntary financial restructuring process. Distributions under that unsecured claim will be capped at SEK 100 million and made over 5.5 years, corresponding to the term of the agreements.
Finally, SAS has committed to the rehire and subsequent full-time employment, of 450 pilots in tandem with the ramp-up of flight operations until 2024 (£1.00 = SEK12.29 at time of publication).